Improvement in washing-machines



W. H. WILLIS'.

, y Washing-Machines.

N0.l49,623. l lPatented April 14,1874.

` vr/ITJVESSEKS.

W MKM 4 /ww UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLEM H.,WILLIS, OF FOREST CITY, MISSOURI.

IMISROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.A

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 149,623, dated April14, 1874; application filed lJanuary 30, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM H. WILLIs, of Forest City, county of Holt andState of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWashing-Machines, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to that class of washing-machines in which acylinder and an endless washLboard are operated within a box or tub; andthe nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangementof the various parts composing my washing machine, as will behereinafter :more fullyr set forth.

' In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction andy operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal verticalsection, of my washingmachine. Fig. 3 is part of a central transversevertical section of the same.

A represents the suds-box, madeV of any suitable dimensions, andsupported upon legs B B, which extend the whole height of the box andform the corn ers thereof. The interior revolving cylinder is composedof two circular heads, C C, connected by means of half-round slats a a,placed a suitable distance apart, as shown in Fig. 2. Through thecylinder passes the central shaft b, the ends of which pass through andrest in slots d d, made vertically in the sides-of the box A. The slotsd d allow the cylinder C a to play up and down and adjust itself to theclothes, it being pressed downward by means of two wooden springs, D D,one on each side of the box A. The springs D D extend nearly the wholelength of the box, their ends being insertedin notches x fr, made in thelegs B B, and held therein by means of pivoted buttons f f. In thecenter of'each spring D is riveted, or otherwise securely attached, abearing, t', to t over the projecting end of the axle b and hold thecylinder down. These springs D D keep the cylinder adjusted to theclothes, and they can readily be-removed when it is desired to take outthe cylinder. The wash-board, against which the cylinder C a works, iscomposed of y a series of endless belts, h h, passing around tworollers, E E, and across which are secured a series of halfround slats,m m, a suitable distance apart. Each roller E is journaled in the lowerends of two bars, G G, the upper ends of which are pivoted to the sidesof the box A on the inner side. Each bar G has at its upper end `anelongated slot, u, the lower end of which is enlarged to pass over thehead of a screw, p, inserted in the side of the box, and the bar then beallowed to slide down over the shank of the screw, thus suspending andpivoting said bar to the side of the box. By this means the bars G G andwash-board can be easily removed when desired and put in again.

The operation of the cylinder on the washboard in washing clothes issubstantially the same as in other machines of this class, the ends ofthe clothing being tucked under straps o, runnin g lengthwise of themain cylinder C a.

On the outside of the box A, below the end of the slot d, is a spout, H,to catch any water that may splash outv through said slot, and the waterthus caught passes immediately back into the box through a vent orpassage, s, as shown in Fig. 3. The boxAis, of course, provided with asuitable outlet, t, for the water. One end of the cylinder-shaft b isprovided with a crank, I, for turning the cylinder. At one end of thebox A is a roller, w, for the assisting of washin g lon g pieces ofheavy clothmg.

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the cylinder C a and its shaft b, of thesprings D D, with bearings i c', arranged on the outside of the box, andheld in notches cc a by means of pivoted buttons ff, substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

2. The combination of the endless washboard h m, rollers EE, bars G G,having slots a n, and the screws p p, all constructed substantially asand for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as myinvention, I hereunto affixmy si gnature this 29th day of November, 1873.

WM. H. WILLIS.

Witnesses R. O. GRAVES, C. L. ANDERSON.

Having thus fully described my invention,

